Spoilage of vacuum-packaged dark, firm, dry meat at chill temperatures

Abstract

The flora of vacuum-packaged dark, firm, dry meat included thred organisms not usually found on vacuum-packaged meat, Yersinia enterocolitica, Enterobacter liquefaciens, and Alteromonas putrefaciens. Y. enterocolitica did not affect the meat quality. Production of spoilage odors by E. liquefaciens could be prevented by addition of glucose or citrate to the meat. Greening of meat could be prevented by addition of glucose or citrate to the meat. Greening of meat by A. putrefaciens was not prevented by addition of glucose, as the organism degraded cysteine with the release of H2S even when glucose was present. To prevent greening, growth of A. putrefaciens must be inhibited by reducing the meat pH to less than 6.0.